Ziro

Ziro at a glance:

Coordinates:27.5448° N, 93.8196° E

State: Arunachal Pradesh

It is situated at an altitude of 3,293 metres (10,804 ft) in the Garhwal Himalayas and located approximately 30 kilometers (19 mi) North of Uttarkashi.The sacred shrine of Yamunotri, source of the river Yamuna. The chief attraction at Yamunotri is the temple devoted to the Goddess Yamuna and the holy thermal springs as Janki Chatti (7 km. Away).

How to Reach Ziro:

By Air:The nearest International airport is Guwahati which is about 450 km from ziro.It is safer to travel from Guwahati through Naharlagun Railway station or by bus .The connectivity of the other two airports Lilabari and Tezpur is erratic.

By Rail:An Overnight train runs from Guwahati to Naharlagun Railway station (100 km),It is the most convenient way to reach ziro. Regular Intercity trains runs to North Lakhimpur Station(117 km).

By Road:From the capital city Itanagar,It takes about 3 and a half hours via the Assam route. It is about 12 hours journey by road from Guwahati.

Places to visit and Things to do in ziro

Dolo Mando – Trekking

Pic.Credit:Tripurainfo.com

One of the famous attractions of Ziro, travellers trek to the top of this hillock to view the Hapoli town and old Ziro. This hillock is situated on the western side of Ziro on the Daporijo Road. One can enjoy spending some peaceful time amidst the gorgeous landscape.

Kile Pakho

Pic.Credit:Thequint

It works as a view point as the viewers get unique views on both sides. On one side, there is the majestic Ziro Plateau and on the other side are lofty snow capped Himalayan Mountains.The ridge is situated 7 kms away from Old Ziro and is an important tourist attraction in the valley.

Meghna Cave Temple

Pic.Credit:Worthview.com

This temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is located close to Ziro. The 10 minutes climb up the stairs is completely worth it when you reach the 5000 year old structure at 3000 feet above sea level.

Midey – Trekking

Pic.Credit:www.treklocations.com

Known primarily for its blue pine trees, this place also provides excellent trekking opportunities. Here you can see the biggest and tallest tree in the Apatani valley measuring about 7 meter at GBH (girth at breast height). Eloped in dense bamboo groves, it is amongst the favored spots to enjoy hiking and trekking.

Pine Grove

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Pine Grove is located just 3km away from Ziro. This place is an excellent picnic spot with an amazing view.Dotted with pine trees, this place is quite scenic and is known to attract a lot of photographers. It is a perfect place to plan a day outing

Shiv Linga

Pic.Credit:www.esamskriti.com

The Shivlinga is a part of the famous Siddheshwar Nath Temple. The 25m high Shivlinga has a constant flow of water running on it. Beautiful idols of Parvati and Ganesh are also a part of the temple.

Talley Valley Wildlife Sanctuary

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This 337 sq. km. sanctuary is home to a wide and exotic variety of flora and fauna. The endangered clouded leopards are also found here. The sanctuary has a spectrum of flora as well which includes silver fir trees, ferns, orchids, bamboo and rhododendron.The Ziro valley has a good share of this biodiversity. It is about 30 kms from ziro.

Tarin Fish Farm – Paddy cultivation

Pic.Credit:Bijitdutta.com

Paddy cultivation is a major occupation in Ziro. Here, two different varieties of rice are grown with one variety of fish in the water. Bamboo and Pine trees surround the paddy fields. Each component of this cultivation has a role to play – just like in coffee plantations.

What to eat in Ziro:

Local food and cuisine

Being a small valley destination, Ziro does not have many options for eating out but the tourists can find a few local eateries that offer delicious local food. The staple food of the place is rice which is served in various flavors along with meat, fish and green vegetables. Boiled rice wrapped in leaves and momos is the favored snacks to be eaten here by the locals. With having a good population of tribal people, the tribal dishes are also quite common here.